There
is really no growing medium that can be labeled as best.
Each particular medium has its own advantages and disadvantages
(please see descriptions of each individual media below).
However, there are many different factors that will determine
which type of media is right for you.

What
type of hydroponics system will you be growing in?

If
you are planning on growing your plants in a hydroponic system
it is important that you chose a media which will give you
greatest opportunities for success. *Never use potting soil
or dirt in a hydroponics system*

Ebb
and Flow (Flood and Drain) Systems

The
Ebb and Flow system can be used with just about any media.
Most growers will use either Rockwool, Coco or Ready Gro.
If you choose one of these mediums it is wise to avoid over
watering by spacing out your watering cycles by at least 3
hours since both of these media tend to retain a lot of water.
If you choose to use Hydroton Rock or Perlite you will need
to prevent your media from drying out, therefore more frequent
watering is necessary.

Top
Feed/Drip Systems

The
Top Feed/Drip Systems can also be used with most media yet
once again most growers will prefer to use Rockwool, Coco
or Ready Gro. Most Top Feed systems are stake based, meaning
that a drip line is connected to a drip stake and the drip
stake is plunged into the media. Because of these stakes most
growers will use rockwool and coco because it is easier to
insert the stake into these media. As with an Ebb and Flow
System, it is very important to avoid over watering. Certain
Top Feed/Drip Systems (i.e. The Waterfarm by General Hydroponics)
feature a constantly dripping ring or apparatus
that continually waters the media. In cases such as these
the Hydroton Rocks are the best media to work with since they
do not retain a lot of water. Perlite is not recommended in
this case since Perlite tends to clog the drainage fixtures
of these particular Drip Systems.

Aeroponic
Systems

Aeroponic
systems usually require very little media. Due to the constant
misting of the roots most growers will use small Rockwool
cubes for their seedlings/clones and then transplant them
into Hydroton Rocks once they are ready to be placed into
the Aeroponic system. The Hydroton Rocks allow for the Aeroponic
misters to spray in extremely short, but frequent intervals,
without resulting in over watering.

Nutrient
Film Technique (NFT) Gully Systems

Nutrient
Film Technique/Gully Systems also require very little media.
Most growers will simply start their seedlings or clones in
small rockwool cubes, ranging anywhere from 1 to 3
depending on your particular system, and then place these
cubes into the system. Because NFT systems feature channels
of constantly re-circulating nutrient solutions, the roots
of the plants tend to grow down from their small starting
cubes into the various channels making any additional media
unnecessary.

Are
you hand watering?

If
you plan on hand watering your plants then there are certain
media that are more suited for this application than others.

Soil

A
good, healthy, nutritious soil is an excellent choice for
a grower that will be hand watering his/her plants. We recommend
choosing Fox Farms Ocean Forest Soil because of its
high nutritional value and general superiority to other soils
(please see description below). If you do choose to use soil,
it is very important that you do not over water. You should
not need to water more than a 3-4 times a week, and generally
you will not need to apply a nutrient solution more than once
a week. When watering your plants it is important that you
experience at least 10% run off out of the bottom of your
containers. This will help to avoid nutrient buildup.

Coco

Coco
is another good choice for hand watering growers. In order
to determine when it is necessary to water your Coco again
you should grab an inch or so of media off the top and squeeze.
If little to no water comes out, it is time to water again.
For plants that require aggressive feedings it is possible
to apply a nutrient solution with every watering. For plants
that do not require an increased amount of feedings you can
apply your nutrient solution at every 3rd watering. If you
decide to apply a solution with every watering it is necessary
to apply a flushing agent at least once a week to avoid an
excessive build up of salts in the media. As with soil, you
will want to make sure that you achieve at least a 10% run
off at ever watering.

Ready
Gro

Ready
Gro can also be used in hand watering situations. Because
Ready Gro is essentially Coco that has been cut with Perlite
and a few other ingredients it tends to dry out a little faster
than straight Coco. This may lead to a need for increased
waterings in order to keep your plants from drying out. As
with Coco, you will want to check the moisture level of the
Ready Gro in order to determine if it is necessary to water.
Once again, aggressive growers may apply nutrient solutions
with every watering, but it is also possible to apply solutions
at every other watering or every 3rd watering. A run off of
at least 10% is necessary.

Rockwool

Rockwool
can be used in hand watering situations but generally is not
chosen. Rockwool blocks usually do not provide the proper
environment for hand watering and may begin to break down.
A grower can place rockwool blocks within growing containers
but it would be wise to use another, looser media
such as Coco or Ready Gro to fill in the gaps. This prevents
the roots from being exposed if they grow out of the cubes.
If you chose to use Rockwool cubes by themselves do not remove
the paper around the large cube that your smaller cube is
sitting in. This will help to maintain the integrity of the
cube. If you do place the Rockwool within another media like
Coco or Ready Gro then remove the paper, this allows the roots
to grow horizontally as well as vertically. As with Coco,
you will want to check the moisture level of the Rockwool
in order to determine if it is necessary to water. Once again,
aggressive growers may apply nutrient solutions with every
watering, but it is also possible to apply solutions at every
other watering or every 3rd watering. A run off of at least
10% is necessary. Do not allow your Rockwool to sit in standing
water.

Hydroton
Rocks/Perlite

If
you are hand watering we do not recommend that you use Hydroton
Rocks or Perlite as you primary media. Both media tend to
dry out too quickly and will require too much watering throughout
the day. Hydroton Rocks can be used with either Soil or Coco
to improve drainage by lining the bottom of your growing containers
with about an inch or so of Rocks. Perlite can also be used
to improve drainage by mixing it with Coco at around a rate
of about 60% Coco to 40% Perlite. Do not mix Canna Coco with
any Perlite

.

What
mediums are available for growing plants?

.

Potting
Soil

Potting
soil is favored by beginners and organic growers. There are
many types of potting soil that is available to the grower.
For best results and healthiest plants always select the best
growing medium available. At Better Grow Hydro, we have selected
Fox Farm Ocean Forest potting soil as it is the best potting
soil available. Fox Farm Ocean Forest soil is 100% organic,
with no vermiculite or any other artificial additives. Ocean
Forest soil is soft and friable and has a consistent texture.
Other cheaper brands will have large amounts of perlite and/or
vermiculite and other synthetic additives; the texture is
usually inconsistent and normally lumpy. These cheaper brands
will also use chemical nutrients in there soil mixes.

Plants
that are grown in containers with potting soil are always
hand watered and usually fed once a week. Both chemical and
organic nutrients can be used with potting soil. If chemical
nutrients are used be careful not to over feed your plants.
Balance your pH to 6.3 - 6.8 before feeding or watering your
plants. Adding mycorrhizae to your soil before planting will
benefit your plant roots system, reduce root rot and increase
your plants nutrient uptake from the soil.

Perlite

Perlite
is a great medium to use in hydroponics; however, it is extremely
light and will float. If using perlite in and Ebb & Flow
system never flood your tray to the top, especially when your
plants are still young  this will cause your growing
pots to topple over. Perlite is hardly ever used on its own;
it is normally used in mixes with coir (coco), vermiculite
or potting soil. Perlite is used to help aerate other growing
mediums and aid in drainage.

Ready
Gro

This
is a coir/coco and perlite mixture that is ready to use and
contains several ingredients that are beneficial for both
protecting and enhancing the growth of plants and their root
systems. There are two formulations available: Aeration and
Moisture formulas. The aeration formula has more perlite than
coco and the moisture formula has more coco than perlite.
Both of these mixes are suitable for ebb & flow and drip
hydroponic systems. Both mixes contain: Coco Fiber, Perlite,
Pumice Stone, Earthworm castings, Agrimineral 72TM, Acadian
Seaweed Meal, Leonardite Ore (Natural Humates), Pure Blend
Original, Root Shield TM (trichoderma), Ascend TM (mycohrrizal
fungi), and Guardian TM (Organic Root Inocculant).

Hydroton
Rocks / Grow Rocks

Also
known as clay rocks, this medium is excellent for use in ebb
& flow, drip and aeroponic systems. Rocks drain very fast
and will dry out very quickly if not regularly watered. The
timing of your hydroponic systems watering cycle must
be frequent so that the rocks dont dry out. Rocks can
be easily flushed of any chemical nutrient build up. Rock
is often used to help other growing mediums with drainage
by placing an inch of rocks at the bottom of the pot.

Coir/Coco

This
growing medium is a product of coconut husks. It is rapidly
replacing rockwool as the most widely used growing medium
among commercial hydroponic growers. Coco is available from
countries such as Sri-Lanka, India and Mexico. Growers should
be careful with their selection of coco as not all coco is
of the same quality. Many of the cheaper brands will have
poor quality coco, coco that is high in sea salt and even
contain a lot of beach sand. We have selected the two best
brands of coco available to growers: Canna Coco and Botanicare.
The Canna coco is pre washed and disinfected using steam.
Canna coco is also inoculated with trichoderma which is a
fungus that colonizes the root structure. Trichoderma feeds
on fungi in the growing medium that causes root rot and it
also helps stimulate the plants health system. Canna Coco
is available in 50 liter bags and growing bags and is ready
to use. The Botanicare coco is also pre-washed and is available
in compressed bricks, growing bags, bulk bags, etc.

Rockwool

BetterGrow
Hydro offers Grodan brand rockwool. The Grodan brand has been
available to growers for decades and is extensively used in
commercial hydroponics. It is well regarded as the best rockwool
in the world. Rockwool is made from molten basalt and limestone
rock. Rockwool is a sterile inert medium that is perfect for
hobby hydroponics growers. Growers should always pre-soak
their rockwool using a rockwool soaking product or simply
soak in water with a pH of 5 overnight. This will help stabilize
the pH of the rockwool, which is naturally very high. Grodan
rockwool is available in many sizes from 1 cubes to
6 blocks, as well as slabs and granulate.

Do
I need to pre-treat my rockwool?

Yes,
Rockwool must be pre treated before use because it has a very
high pH. In order to treat Rockwool it is necessary to soak
it overnight in water with a pH balance of 4. You can also treat
Rockwool with agents like Rockwool Soak which not only lowers
its pH, but adds beneficial nutrients.